Improving FDA Health Communications with Older Women Regarding FDA-Regulated Products

Questionnaire for the Proposed Focus Group on Improving FDA Health Communications with Older Women Regarding FDA-Regulated Products

1. When you had this health concern, did you try to find information to answer your questions? You don’t need to talk specifically about any health issues, but just whether you tried to find information about this.

Probe:

• If no, why not (e.g., fears, time, not sure where to find information)

• If yes, why (e.g., motivations; health-related goals; discussion with provider, family, friends)

• Would your responses differ depending on if it is for Drugs? Vaccines? Medical devices? Health information on the front of a food package?

• Is there a health topic that you feel you do not need information for?

2. If you did look up information to answer your question, where you did look for this information?

Probe:

• Sources of information: family, friends; physicians, pharmacists, other healthcare providers; pharmaceutical industries; patient support groups; medical societies; ministers, communities, senior centers; product website, the internet, social media; journal articles; news.

• Would your responses differ depending on if it is for Drugs? Vaccines? Medical devices? Health information on the front of a food package?

• Are these sources of information ones that you rely on the most? If yes, why are they your trusted sources of information? If no, what are your trusted sources of information?

• How frequently, if at all, do you seek information from the FDA website? When you visit the FDA website, if at all, do you find the information useful and easy to access? If not, why not?

3. Thinking about the types of information that you did find, was this information useful (e.g., testimonials, data, type of messenger (peer, provider, etc.))?

Probe:

• If yes, what made this information useful to you?

• If no, what would you need to make it more helpful?

• Would your responses differ depending on if it is for Drugs? Vaccines? Medical devices? Health information on the front of a food package?

Let’s now consider a scenario where you have gathered your health information and you now want to make a decision based on this information. For example, this decision could be to evaluate whether to begin a particular medication treatment, whether to get the flu vaccine, what type of insulin pump to use or the types of food you purchase and eat.

4. Assuming that you’ve learned about the different options that you can take to improve your health, what source of information is most helpful or influential to you in making a health-related decision?

(e.g., family, friends, physicians, pharmacists, other healthcare providers, pharmaceutical industries, patient support groups, medical societies, ministers, communities, senior centers, FDA website, product website, the internet, social media, journal articles, news)

Probe:

• What source(s) do you find most helpful?

• Would your responses differ depending on if the information is for Drugs? Vaccines? Medical devices? Health information on the front of a food package?

5. Have you ever tried to find answers to a health question, but couldn’t find enough information about the topic?

Probe:

• If yes, what was the reason for this? (e.g., information lacking or needed improvement, overwhelmed with too much information, don’t know where and how to find this information)

• Did you decide to make a decision about your health even though you could not find enough information about the topic? If so, why or why not? If yes, how?

Let’s take a look at the first [type of communication]. This is an example of [type of communication, add in brief description].

6. What are your thoughts about receiving health information in this [type of communication] format?

Probe:

• Does this [type of communication] appeal to you as a way to receive health information? If so, what makes it appealing? If not, what are the reasons (e.g., can’t read well, need help to understand)?

• What would make [type of communication] more helpful when you are looking for health information (e.g., time, access to technology, balanced information on both benefits and risks, large font size, short, comprehensive, patient experience data, up-to-date)?

• Would [type of communication] be the most informative way to receive information about Drugs? Vaccines? Medical devices? Health information on the front of a food package?

7. Thinking about [type of communication] as a way to receive health information, would you recommend [type of communication] to others?

Probe:

• Whom would you recommend this to (e.g., age, gender, cultural groups)?

• What are some reasons why you would recommend this type of communication to others? Reasons for why you would not recommend to others?

Repeat questions #6 and #7 for each type of communication.

8. Do you have a preference for one type of communication format over the others when you think of…

   1. Drugs?

   2. Vaccines?

   3. Medical Devices?

   4. Health information on the front of the food package?

9. Is there any other type of communication that you would prefer to receive but we have not discussed today?